Airport check in - how long before flight and other matters

[Time Waster]

What is your views on when to get to the airport for your flights? Short haul ( Spain in our case) and they open check in at 2.5 hours before the flight. I always thought it use to be you arrive two hours before then more recently 1 hour seems about right. Then we can do online booking in, some airports allow you to check in luggage a day or so before your flight.

Then you have the situation with security. AFAIK Manchester and the big hubs can have issues there about now. It is why we have chosen the little airport of Newcastle. Hopefully that will be a breeze through security. BTW, I always and I do mean always end up being the guy who triggers the alarm or if I don't I still get the attentions of the personal search. So far it has never got so far as a private room for it but I always get the paddle and pat down.

Since it is about holiday time I just wonder what you people think of airport ettiquette. Any advice and recommendations? I am thinking I have a plastic trekking belt which might stop the metal detector, although it has a hidden zipped pocket so perhaps still trigger it.

My issue with security is how much you end up having to put in the boxes or take off your body. Then the other end you have to rush to put it back on or into your pockets again. It might just be me but it seems like everyone else is quicker at the post security collect and go activity. I really need to streamline that a bit somehow.

 

[markemark]

Depends on the airport, whether hold luggage, time of day and airline.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It’s personal subject to when boarding closes. Depends how chilled you are. Years ago when I flew for business we wouldn’t leave the airport bar till our names were announced over the tannoy. That was a relatively small airport when flying home.

 

[Chris S]

Since it is about holiday time I just wonder what you people think of airport ettiquette. Any advice and recommendations? I am thinking I have a plastic trekking belt which might stop the metal detector, although it has a hidden zipped pocket so perhaps still trigger it.

I've got a canvas belt with a plastic buckle that I wear when I'm flying. It saves taking it off for the security gate. They're about £3-4 on ebay.

 

[matticus]

You wouldn't get this problem with your own jet.
Just sayin' ...

 

[Alex321]

My biggest issue with time is making sure I allow enough time for the journey TO the airport.

I have only ever once missed a flight, and on that occasion, I had allowed 4.5 hours for what was normally a 3 hour drive (that was 4.5 hours to arrive at Heathrow the recommended 1.5 hours before take off). Unfortunately, it took us a little over 6 hours, and we arrived at the airport 5 minutes after the flight took off

Since then, I am always a little paranoid about making sure I arrive at the airport with plenty of spare time. Though that is the only time it has really been close, apart from once at Lisbon, where the queue to return hire cars was about 30 minutes! Still made that one with "reasonable" amount of time to spare.

 

[Baldy]

Depends what airport you're going from. Glasgow and Edinburgh are quite quick. For Amsterdam I'd allow about three weeks before your flight is due, although if it's busy that might not be enough.

 

[Slick]

I fly regularly, but most of it domestic and for Glasgow to City Airport for example, I try and get to the airport as late as possible which is about an hour before take-off giving me about 20 to 30 minutes to get through security and to the gate bang on time. They usually don't even announce the gate until the advertised time they are supposed to close the gate. Coming back the other way is even better as security in London is first class with none of this tipping your contents out into the tray as everything stays in your case including your laptop and liquids.

Stanstead is a different kettle of fish, as you could easily miss your flight waiting on security which is a complete disaster. Twice I should of missed flights due to security issues after scares somewhere else in the world, only for good old easyJet to be running late meaning both times I made it just in time even although I arrived at the gate a good 20 minutes after the plane was supposed to have taken off.

 

[dicko]

Newcastle eh? Can you understand Geordie?

 

[Gillstay]

I wore a plastic belt to be fast at security and they still made me take it off. Then on the way back I got wiped down for explosives in Germany and the chap was very nice and let me check out the machine with him. Clever bit of kit.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

For those getting there last minute, what do you do with your time before you set off for the airport?

My own view is, if I'm going to be hanging around at one end or the other, I'd rather do that at the airport, just chilling with a coffee, some music and a book after all the rest of the process is done.

 

[vickster]

I fly Thursday. I’ll get there 2 hours before, drop case off, fast track security and into the lounge. Low stress.
London airports seem to close the gate about 45 mins before. No chance with an hour if in economy!

 

[richardfm]

Last year, we flew from Bristol to Crete on the first day of the autumn half-term. It took a good two hours to get from the car park, through baggage drop and security. Luckily, we had allowed three hours; my wife had said to allow two hours. If we had, we might have made it, but it would have been tight.

 

[Fab Foodie]

As an almost weekly flier (curently in Warsaw airport), I can only give you this sage advice:

'The art of good travel is never having to break into a sweat'.

That's all you need to know....

 

[Ming the Merciless]

For those getting there last minute, what do you do with your time before you set off for the airport?

Another two hours making mad passionate love. Then a nice brandy. Then taxi or train to airport.